Curfew relaxed in Kandhamal

Bhubaneswar, Oct 2 (UNI) The authorities today relaxed the day curfew in nine police station areas of the strife-torn Kandhamal district in Orissa following improvement in overall situation.

The decision to relax the day curfew till evening was taken at a high level meeting held at Phulbani this morning as no untoward incident had been reported from anywhere during the last two days.

Director General of Police Mamohan Praharaj, Revenue Divisional Commissioner Satyabrata Sahu and District Collector Krishna Kumar and other officials attended the meeting.

Day curfew was imposed yesterday morning in police limits of Phulbani, Baliguda, G Udaygiri, Tikabali, Raikia, Tmudibandha, Phirngia, Gochhapada and Surangagada after violence and communal clashes reported at five villages under G Udaygiri police station on September 30 in which one woman was killed and several others were injured.

Kandhamal Police Superintendent Praveen Kumar said with arrival of ten companies of additional central para military forces the security system was further tightened.

A joint operation of the CRPF and the Orissa State Armed Police was continuing to seize the illegal arms.

The authorities have extended the deadline for depositing the licensed arms and ammunition in the police station by another two days.

Earlier, the authorities had issued a notice asking people holding licensed gun to deposit their weapons in their respective police stations by last evening. The district has around 900 licensed guns.

Police have meanwhile, arrested around 50 people and detained several others in connection with the recent violence.

The DGP and other senior police officials were camping in the area and visiting several violence hit places.

Violence started in the district after VHP leader Laxamanananda Saraswati and his four disciples were gunned down at his Jalspeta Ashram on August 23.